48 AIRCRAFT WASHING SYSTEMS
GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 2013
a task quickly. Simple to operate and maintain, the ARC is self-contained and comes mounted on a trailer. A basic stop/start button operates the system and there is an auto-start and shutdown facility to extend the pump’s life cycle. In terms of driving power, the ARC relies upon aircraft fuel or diesel. According to destination and use, the ARC is fitted with an onboard, 1,000 gallon container or it can be offered for operation with a remote water supply. There are two further options that the US company offers. The first is the TAWS, or Total Aircraft Washing System. This provides a hot water wash and rinse and includes a built-in foamer. Two sprayers allow for a two-man operation and a spray reach around 20 feet is quite feasible. The system sprays 5 gallons of 60ºC water per minute out of each spray gun, at a safe 175psi. The last application is that of the Aircraft
Squeaky clean
It’s a niche sector but one that is getting more attention from accountants eager to readdress any inefficiencies within an operation.
hilst a clean aircraft exterior says something about the airline in question, there are
hidden benefits in keeping a hull devoid of grime. The most important of these has to be fuel consumption: a smoother finish offers less resistance which in turn requires less fuel for its passage. Regular cleaning thus ought to recoup the cost in the area of fuel burn. Another good reason for a regular cleaning programme is that of a reduction in the likelihood of corrosion, which in turn will lead to a longer life for the aircraft in question. This can be a particular problem where the aircraft is exposed to low level flights over sea or areas of salt water. Guarding against these acidic qualities usually entails a rinsing programme of some description. US enterprise Riveer Company has an
interesting portfolio of aircraft cleaning equipment.
For example, its BirdBath is an automatic clear water rinse system that helps prevent aircraft corrosion. This is achieved by rinsing the aircraft as it moves over a specially prepared grid. There, a low-pressure, high-flow process rapidly rinses the passing aircraft. In addition, the Riveer BirdBath can filter and recycle up to 80% of the water used. This operation can save up to 520 gallons a minute. Usefully, the
application can be installed in-ground or above ground. Whilst fleet owners may well be concerned about the outward appearance of their aircraft, there is an additional requirement (a NAVAIR regulation) that mandates that any aircraft stationed within 1.25 miles of salt water has to be cleaned once a fortnight. Again, where aircraft fly under 3,000 feet over salt water, they must be rinsed after the last flight of the day. Smaller solutions are also available
from this manufacturer. For example, there is the Aircraft Rinse Cart (or ARC) that was designed in conjunction with the US Navy for aircraft rinsing. Ideally suited for use in remote locations, this is a rugged and dependable solution that has been readily adopted by the USAF and the US Army alike. Here, the system sprays up to 12 gallons of water per minute from each wash wand at a pressure of 175psi. This meets the necessary requirements for aircraft washing, rinsing and decontamination procedures. Because it runs with a low-pressure output, the ARC will not damage equipment. It exerts enough force, however, to shift any embedded débris. In terms of reach, the spray can be directed up to 40 feet, which is helpful for an aircraft tail section; usefully, a high flow rate means that this application will execute
Washing System, the AWS. This was specifically designed with the help of the US Army and has seen service in desert environments such as Kuwait. Great attention has been paid to this model so that it is able to function in isolation in hostile environments and like the afore- mentioned TAWS, operation is simplicity itself. Able to spray up to 12 gallons a minute, the unit operates at 170psi. Riveer’s Matt Petter says that insofar as his company has been concerned, most sales in 2012 were of the TAWS units to the US Army. “We also built several custom units for the RAF to wash their cargo aircraft. These were shipped to locations throughout the US and about a dozen went to Afghanistan.” Whilst the TAWS application was the most popular in 2012, the company has also been involved in building a very large Birdbath for Anderson Air Force Base on Guam for rinsing its cargo aircraft.
Choice within Europe
Around Europe, there is a choice of specialised systems for those looking to make cost savings as well as maintain the image of a clean aircraft fleet. In Scandinavia, Nordic Aero is the brains behind the DINO solution. The story behind the device is a simple one: an individual, impressed with the concept of the automatic car wash, decided to take the idea one step further and apply the technology to the aviation sector. It wasn’t quite as simple as that, of course, but the DINO duly became the world’s first semi-automatic aircraft washer back in 1983. The idea has caught on since and the company points to over 100 DINO units currently in use around the world. These have found favour with
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